Driving instructor Jan Sterry was among those banned from using a recycling centre because of her branded vehicle

by political editor Paul Francis

A ban on sign-written vehicles using waste tips across the county has been lifted after complaints flooded in from people turned away - despite only wanting to get rid of household rubbish.

Kent County Council has done a rapid U-turn on its ban on vehicles that carry commercial advertising only days after highways chiefs declared most people were "quite happy" about the ban.

The U-turn follows the intervention of KCC leader Cllr Paul Carter and came amid complaints the new rules meant taxi drivers, driving instructors and even a magician - as well as KM Group staff - had been turned away because their vehicles carried advertising.

The new rule was designed to clamp down on the commercial dumping of waste from builders and others.

It led to a storm of protests, with Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson, labelling it a "Soviet-like diktat" and raising the matter in Parliament.

He warned it would lead to more fly-tipping and Dartford MP Gareth Johnson also urged a re-think.

Vehicles with advertising were turned away from recycling centres

Under the new rules, KCC had introduced a system in which people could apply for special exemption vouchers permitting them to dump household waste. That was branded overly bureaucratic.

It now appears staff at the waste sites will be told to use their discretion and allow those with branded vehicles to dump waste that is not commercial.